Vienna Game Chess Opening: Winning Strategies and Tactics
Learn the Vienna Game: Surprise Value, Minimal Theory, Traps, Maximized Tactics- Hidden Strategies After 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
What you will learn
Ability to surprise the opponent as early as the 2nd move with 2. Nc3 instead of 2. Nf3
Ability to get attacking positions rapidly from the Opening especially with the subsequent move f4 instead of Nf3
Ability to know key variations of how Black can react
Ability to appreciate key traps Black can fall into
Ability to get a psychological edge when your opponent's expect 2. Nf3 and you play 2. Nc3 instead
Ability to see how Rudolf Spielmann "The Master of Attack" played the Vienna game with great effect. Games full of full of sacrifices,brilliancies, beauty
Ability to see how Alexander Alekhine played the Vienna game
Ability to appreciate semi-open f-file dynamic possibilities more because often f4 is used like a delayed King's Gambit
Ability to appreciate our first official world chess champion Wilhelm Steinitz was a big Vienna game fan
Ability to appreciate than 2. Nc3 doesn't block the f-pawn and gives rise to situations like 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. f4 with attack prospects
Ability to play the Vienna game with an idea of key plans
Ability to have a playable opening system playing on own terms and which doesn't require as much theory as the Ruy Lopez or Italian game or Petrov defence
Ability to set the opponent early problems and traps without compromising one's position, so quite often an effective quick points scorer
Ability to have flexibility in being able to choose between tactical and chaotic variations and more positional and solid variations depending on your style
Ability to learn from iconic world champions in the past such as Steinitz and Alekhine as well as more modern GMs such as Adams, Short, Nakamura and many others
Ability to learn about chess generally through detailed game annotations not just for opening but also to enhance middlegame and endgame understanding
Ability for even Grandmaster players to become less of a fixed target of opening preparation to mix in sometimes the Vienna game as a surprise weapon of choice
Ability to see Mamedyarov has a point with potential improved center game with Nc3 preventing d5 and often castling queenside
Ability to see the Vienna game as a safer version of the King's Gambit where d5 is discouraged
Why take this course?
The Vienna Game 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 is a Kingscrusher chess opening favorite, full of traps for the unprepared player with the Black pieces. Kingscrusher has played the Vienna Game many times, winning many online tournaments. It reduces the need to learn lots of opening theory for the Spanish game or Italian game which is what most players with black prepare against but not so much for 2. Nc3 - the Vienna Game.
In fact, players with Black often immediately go wrong very early with 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 exf4? which gives white a big opening advantage. Although 2. Nc3 seems fairly harmless, it can quickly turn aggressive because White has the interesting option of f4 later with some of the perks of the King's Gambit but without so much risk.
One inspiration for playing the Vienna game was when Kingscrusher personally watched Andrew Hon dismantle GM Van De Sterren at a Lloyds bank masters edition. Ever since then a curiosity was developed for this surprise opening weapon when Grandmasters are usually prepared for 2. Nf3. In fact, as of 2022, GM Paul Van De Sterren has played against 2. Nf3 115 times compared to just 7 games with 2. Nc3 shows the great surprise value, and actually White scores against him over a 42% win rate compared with 31.3% with the classical 2. Nf3. This statistical bias towards 2. Nf3 preparation leads to gaps in knowledge for very advanced players when they have to face the Vienna game.
But beginner and intermediate players also when faced with the 2. Nc3 will often be thrown off-balance mentally and completely unprepared, which can lead to quick opening disasters giving the player with the White pieces an easy quick win straight out of the opening. The use of the delayed f4 would have been impossible if 2. Nf3 had been played blocking the f4 pawn and this is a very dangerous attacking move with also a strong positional agenda of often helping White construct a strong dynamic pawn center as a basis for attacking chess later. A classic example of a disaster sequence for a completely unprepared player is the following:
1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 exf4 4. e5 Qe7 5. Qe2 Ng8 6. d4 d6 7. Nd5 Qd8 8.
Nxc7+ Qxc7 9. exd6+ and black can resign
There are many pitfalls and traps that Black can fall into and this is just one example.
Another inspiration for the Vienna Game was in the classic book "Play Better Chess" by Leonard Barden who is a very strong British player. This is one of Kingscrusher's favorite chess books and the Vienna game - especially the "Vienna Gambit" is emphasized as a great practical opening weapon, especially for tournament players who need to rack up points for prizes - a "proven points scorer".
There are some very dangerous ideas involving an early f4 which makes use of the upside of not having committed a Knight to f3 which is the usually taught move for everyone after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
The different ways of playing the Vienna game are explored ranging from a safer King's Gambit style with f4 to more positional ways with fianchetto the King's bishop to g2.
Transpositions to the King's Gambit or Three Knights opening are not the central focus of this course and will not be discussed except in intro videos in order to achieve maximum focus on Vienna Game core variations and ideas.
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